Owner of Hansen Athletics and Speed Lab Director with Universal Speed Rating, Darren Hansen joins the show to break down how he’s built one of the top performance facilities in the region by making speed development a true priority. Voted the best performance facility in Southeastern Idaho, Hansen Athletics is known for both results and culture.

We dive into how Darren creates an environment athletes can’t wait to return to, how he programs in the private sector, and how to build systems that make high-quality training scalable as your business grows. Darren also shares the biggest mistakes he sees in youth athlete development, how they run assessments and onboard new athletes, and what actually drives long-term progress.

We also touch on the business side—what truly fuels growth, where coaches overcomplicate things, and how to build a model that lasts.

This podcast evolved from my book, Strength In Numbers — the ultimate mentorship guide for coaches.

Featuring insights from 100+ ELITE coaches across every level and sport, it’s an encyclopedia of coaching wisdom built to help you grow your career, navigate failure, and find long-term coaching success.

👉 Grab your copy of Strength In Numbers [by clicking here].

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:51 The Story Behind Hansen Athletics

04:42 Culture and Environment at Hansen Athletics

08:49 Coaching Staff and Development

13:41 Making Them Want To Come Back

18:12 Scalable Individualized Training

19:45 Onboarding New Athletes

20:50 Balancing Training Loads

21:54 Scaling and Structuring Programs

24:32 Integrating Middle School and High School Athletes

31:33 Fostering Positive Competition Among Young Athletes

33:56 Common Mistakes in Youth Athletic Development

38:32 The Importance of Diverse Experiences for Young Athletes

41:00 Building a Business from Scratch in a New City

43:05 Drivers of Growth in Established Athletic Programs

46:59 Incentivizing Referrals in Youth Sports Training

47:38 Learning from Controversial Training Methods

51:16 Reflecting on Decision-Making and Growth

EP 38: Darren Hansen | Creating a Gym Athletes Never Want to Leave

The Strength In Numbers Podcast

EP 38: Darren Hansen | Creating a Gym Athletes Never Want to Leave